Tropical Cyclone Donna is intensifying as it bears down on Vanuatu. Cyclone Donna was a category two tropical cyclone this morning, located approximately 550km to the north northeast of the capital Port Vila. The system is moving slowly towards the west and is in an environment that is allowing it to strengthen progressively. The South Pacific Island group is currently in the calm before the storm. Conditions on Efate Island were cloudy today, with signs of damage still visible after Cyclone Cook's landfall almost a month ago. Donna is expected to become a category three severe tropical cyclone tonight and maintain this strength into the weekend. Cyclone of this intensity are capable of producing wind gusts above 165km/h. International forecast models are in fairly good agreement regarding the system's intensity, although there is more uncertainty about its future movement. The most likely path at this stage has Donna turning towards the south from Saturday and traversing the Vanuatu Island group during from Sunday into early next week. Based on this path, Port Vila could experience gales or even storm force winds and heavy rain from Sunday. However, this scenario is prone to change in the coming days. Regardless of the cyclone's future track, wind and rain will increase over Vanuatu's northern provinces during the next 24 hours and conditions should deteriorate further south in the coming days. The latest cyclone advisories are available through the Fiji Meteorological Service at http://www.met.gov.fj/